The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-26
ADVANTAGES or soILlNo.
An Unbiasea View Of an Important Agri-
cultural Problem.

An Unbiased View Of an Important Agri-
cultural Problem.
Will soiling pays This Question is
often asked, and generally answered in
the affirmative. An excellent presenta-
tion can be made on paper of the adj
vantages Of soiling. By abolishing
pastures the cost Of fences is saved.
While it ordinarily takes about three
acres of pasture land to afford grass
enough TO support a COW or steer dur
Ing the grazing season, 1t has appa-
fently been demonstrated thatone acre
will produce sufficient food if it is cut
with a scythe or other implement, in
stead of being fed off. All the manure
made by stock kept in stable can be
readily saved and kept In the best con-
dition to apply to the land. Animals
kept under cover during very hot
weather are protected from the rays of
the sun, and can be readily protected
from the insects that are likely to an
noy them when they are in the pasture.
They are less liable to receive injuries.
and are in no danger of straying off
and getting into mischief None of
this food is likely to be wasted by being
trod upon or soiled by their droppings.
They lose no flesh by having to walk
about in search of food. They can eat
their fill in few minutes and then lie
down and ruminate and digest their
food.
1t is known that most, il not all ami
mails will take on flesh and fat faster if
they are well supplied with suitable
food and in partial confinement than
they will if they are allowed to range
about in pasture. In the final pro-
cess OF fattening choice beeves it is al
ways thought necessary to limit their
exercise and bring their food to them.
Some say that young and growing ami
mails derive as much benefit from this
manner of feeding as animals that have
reached their full size and are fed with
view Of preparing them for slaugh-
ter. At present l may advocate the
policy of keeping animals intended to
furnish flesh fat during the entire peri
cd of their lives. and the selling system
of feeding would seem to be best for
securing this result. 1t is claimed that
cows will give more milk during sea-
son If they are fed on succulent food
brought to the stable where they are
kept than if they have the range of
ordinary pasture. II they do not give
quite as much at time rs when pas
lures are in their best conditions, it is
declared that the yield is more con-
slant and of longer continuance, as
the supply of food is more regular. and
not dependent on the amount Of mois-
ture in the soil.
These great advantages are. OF
course, offset in whole or part by num-
erous disadvantages. Much labor is re-
quired to cut and haul to stable the
green food required to feed number
Of cattle during the grazing season,
| and still larger amount is needed to
raise the fodder that is to be harvested.
Grass and clover can not be relied on
entirely or chiefly 10 furnish food for
animals that are to be kept in stables
during the summer, though they will
| contribute to the amount required.
Parsnips raised the previous season.
and allowed to remain in the ground
AL winter Will be the first fresh food
to use in the spring. These can be fol
lowed in turn by fall-sown rye, or
chard grass, red clover, mixed grasses
oats and peas. Hungarian grass or mil
let, sweet and common field corn, north
ern sugar corn. pumpkins, squashes
beets, carrots and turnips. Red clover
can be cut at least twice during the sea
son, and orchard grass four or five
times. In many localities two crops o
oats and peas can be raised. In Cana
da tares or vetches are sown with oat.
on farms where soil.ng is practical ant
in places adapted to its growth alfalfi
is regarded as the best crop for soilins
purposes, rs the plants bear frequen
cutting.
To arrange to have a succession o
green plants from April till Decembel
may be easy in theory but difficult t.
put in practice. The season will hastel
or retard the growing of cultivated
plants as it will grass and clover 4
drought will diminish the yield o
plants employed for soiling purpose
as well as that of plants in a pasture
For that reason persons who practic'
soiling are generally obliged to us
considerable hay, grain. oil-cake AM
millstuffs in connection with greer
fodder If one has well-filled silo h
can employ ensilage to take the plac
of fresh plants when drought render
them scarce. The soiling system !
best adapted to countries where Their
is little liability to protracted droughts
or where irrigation is practiced an
where labor is very cheap. SoilinI
may pay where land is very dear, bu
be ruinous where land is cheap. Fe,
farmers in England practice soiling be
cause the moist climate generally in
sures an abundance of grass in the pas
lures. The like is true in Holland,
country where land is high and labo
low. II cotton and tobacco raising i
the South ever gives place to stocl
growing. it is likely that soiling wi
receive much attention, as pasturage
poor and wages are low.
;, In the early stages Of agricultur
and stock-raising it is not likely tbs
any of the domesticated animals WEI
supp led with harvested food durin
the season that grass and other forag
plants were growing. Even beasts {
burden were turned out to Craze whe
they were not at work. Horses, mule
and oxen wore not put in the stab
and supplied with hay and grain ,
noon and night, but were left to fin
food in pasture or an open range.
was at length found to be economics
to put them where they could rest an
to bring their food to them, and SON
discovered that it was Improbable
allow horses to waste time in pickin
up food in pasture at any tim
Hogs were at one time grazing ANNA
as sheep and cattle are now. No OF
kept them in pens except during Il
! winter. They had the range of con
} mons and forests, in which they four